Shiftable steering wheel



Dec, 7, 19143.

ITE-Z- l D. G. ROOS SHIFTABLE STEERING WHEEL Filed 'A ril 28, 1945 JJ'\ Q) 2/ INVENTOR.

I De/mar 61 P005 Patented Dec. 7, 1943 Delin'arG; Rhos. Toledo, Ohio, assijgnor toWillys- Y Overland Motors, Inca, Toledo, Ohio; atc'orpora tin of Delaware- Application April 28, 1943, Serial No. 484,936

7' Claims.

This invention relates. to shif-table. steering wheels and more especially to steering wheels ofthis character whichare adapted to be dropped or pivotally movedto a lowered position.

The invention. embraces ashiftable steering wheel for vehicles which'is arranged to be quickly locked in. operative steering position and which may be readily unlocked and shifted-toa-loweredr position to provide added. clearance for thev driver or vehicle operator in. entering or leaving. the operators. compartment.

An objectof the invention is the. provision of a shiftable. steering. wheel. of. a character whichmay be instantly latched or locked in operative position: but whichmay not. beinadvertently dislodgedfrom. this position without aid. of both of the vehicle. operators hands, thus providing. a safety means effective to-prevent shifting of the wheel during. normal vehicle steering. operations.

Another object of the invention resides ina simple construction of. steering wheel spider which is inexpensive to. manufacture yet one which is especially strong; and rigid.

Further objects and advantages are Within the scope of this invention such as relate to the arrangement, operation and function of the related elements of thestructure, to various details. of construction and to combination-ofparts,-ele-= ments per se, and. to economies of." manufacture and' numerous other features as will-be. apparent.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken.substantially on'the line 3-3 of Figure 1';

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 1; f

Figureis an end view of a; portion of the construction illustrated in Figure 1' particularly showing the stop means for determining. the op.- erative position of the steering wheel.

Referring to the drawing in detail, I have illustrated my invention as embodied in a steering wheel construction particularly adapted for con.- trolling directional movement of an automotive. vehicle and which is inclusive of a rim iii preferably fabricated of a moldahle composition. Pro jecting inwardly of the rim Hi are projections. i l. and I2 which form anchors for the extremitiesof spokes or rods [4 and [5. which: form part of the steering wheel spider. The central. portions I6 and i!v of" the spokes. I4 and I5 are arranged in substantially parallel relationship as shown. Figure I and are joined together by means. of! spaced parallelbars I8and 19'. The extremities of the bars are recessed as particularly illustrated in Figure 2 to receivethe mid portions l6 and IT of the spokes [4' and. t5; the bars being, preferably welded or'otherwise. secured to the spokes as at 2!! and 2|. By means of the bars. l8 and I9 being welded tothe midportio'ns; l6 and ll of the spokesthereis provided" a rectangular central frame or spider" construction which is very rigid and will not/become distorted" during steering operations.

Arranged within the confines of the frame formed by'the spokej portions l6 and I! and the parallel bars l8 and T9 is a substantially rectangular head 24 which issecured to the upper end ofa steering shaft by' means of a knurledportion' 26 and a securing nut; 21; the latter being threaded upon a teno'n 28 formed at the upper end of the shaft 25-, The steeringishaft 25 is enclosed-in a conventional sleeve or'post 29' which is provided" with a positioning sleeve or spacer" 3'0and a bearihgbushing'i -l which maintainsth'e' steering shaft 25 in a centralaxial position Within the-sleeve 2'9i f The'head" 24 is formed with a transversely ex-- tending boss portion 33 which is bored to receive a shaft 3%; the extremities of which pass through aligned openings inthe bars I8"an'd l9 and'formjournals about which the steering wheel may pivot so? as to? move the same to an out-of -use' position. The shaft'fl i's' formed witha periph eral' groove: 36' which is inregistration with an ening in the head 24, the latter adapted to" receivea drift pin or securing? means 31 which? projects into' the groove as: particularly shown in: Figure- 2: to retain the shaft" 34 in position in. the headfl.

Theportion of the head? 2% nearest the vehicle operator is formedwith bossportions 35 which are formed: withfaligned bores't arranged torecei'ver'or accommodate theplungers orlatch mem' bers d-li Each" latch: member 4| is carried-upon the inner extremity of a rod 42" having" its end" swa'gedL- to retain the plunger 4| on the rod; The piungers are partially contained within thimble like housings M which project intqopenings in, plates dfi andt are welded therein" as at 4 5 01 other- Wise fixedly secured thereto; Each of" the bars rs and: l9has secured-t thereto a plate 45, the plates being held in 'place bymeansof screws Hl'. Suirroundingthe: rods-s 42' and contained; within the. housings or; members; 44*: are: resilient means in' the form of expansive coil springs 50 which serve at all times to urge the plungers or latch members 4| toward latching position, i. e. the position illustrated in Figure 4. The rods 42 terminate exteriorly of the housings 44 in annular configurations or eyes 52 forming manipulating means for withdrawing the latching members 4| from engagement with the head 24. Each of the rods 42 adjacent the bases of the eyes 52 are formed with integral struck-up projections 53 which serve as stop means to limit the innermost positions of the latching members as well as to prevent disassembly of the latch members 4| and springs 50 in the housings 44, these projections being formed on the rod after the parts are in assembled relationship.

As particularly illustrated in Figures 1 and the head 24 is provided with a projection or abutment 55 which extends into the path of movement of portion ll of the spoke l5 forming a stop means so as to define the initial or operative steering position of the steering wheel as shown in Figure 5. When the portion I! of spoke |5 contacts or engages the lower surfaces of the abutment 55, the latch members or plungers 4| are in alignment with the bores 40 as illustrated in Figure 4 and in this position the plungers automatically move into locking position under the influence of springs 50. I

The exterior lower surfaces of the bosses 39 are provided with chamfers 0r angularly disposed surfaces 51 which cooperate with the beveled or chamfered extremities 41 formed on the latch members 4| to facilitate the automatic retraction of the latch members when the steering wheel is being moved from its out-of-use position to its operative or steering position as the surfaces 51 provide inclined planes serving to move the latch members laterally as the steering wheel spider approaches its operative position.

Assuming that the steering wheel is in operative or steering position as illustrated in full lines in Figures 1 and 2 with the latch members 4| projecting into the bores 4!] and the head 24 with the spoke I! in engagement with abutment 55, when the vehicle operator desires to shift the steering wheel to a position, for example, as illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 2, the operator first inserts his thumbs into the loops or eyes 52 formed on the rods 42. By exerting outward pressure upon the rods 42 the plungers 4| are withdrawn from the bores 40 in which position the central frame structure or spider of the steering wheel may be pivotally moved downwardly about the axis of shaft 34. When it is desired to move the steering wheel to its normal position of use, it is only necessary for the operator to grasp the lower portion of the wheel rim Ill and exerting an upward force, pivoting the spider about the axis of the shaft 34 bringing the beveled extremities 41 of the plungers 4| into engagement with the chamfers or inclined surfaces 51. These cooperating surfaces serve to retract the plungers 4| laterally, compressing the springs 50, and permitting the bars l8 and I9 to move into parallel alignment with the head 24 until the abutment or stop means 55 contacts the central portion I! of the spoke l5. When the steering wheel assembly has been moved to this position, the plungers 4| are moved into latch or locked position in the bores 40 in head 24 under the influence of the expansive springs 50. Through this arrangement I have provided the very durable and rigid construction of shiftable steering wheel which may be quickly and inexpensively manufactured and assembled, and which is not liable to get out of order.

It is apparent that, within the scope of the invention, modifications and different arrangements may be made other than is herein disclosed, and the present disclosure is illustrative merely, the invention comprehending all variations thereof.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, a shaft, a substantially rectangular head-fixed upon one end of said shaft, a spider including a pair of rods having spaced parallel central portions, a pair of spaced substantially parallel bars welded to the central portions of said rods, said bars and said head having aligned openings, a shaft extending through said openings and forming a pivotal axis for said spider, a bore in said head, a plunger arranged for slidable movement in said bore, a housing for said plunger secured to one of said bars; manipulating means for said plunger including a rod terminating in a loop forming a manipulating portion; resilient means for normally urging said plunger toward one position, and means engageable with one of the rods forming a part of the spider for determining the operative position of said spider with respect to said head.

2. In combination, a shaft, a head fixed upon one end of said shaft, a spider including a pair of rods having spaced parallel central portions, a pair of spaced substantially parallel bars secured to the central portions of said rods, said bars and said head having aligned openings, a shaft extending through said openings and forming a pivotal axis for said spider, a bore in said head, a plunger arranged for slidable movement in said bore, a housing for said plunger secured to one of said bars; manipulating means for said plunger including a rod terminating exteriorly of said housing in a loop configuration, and a struck up projection formed on said ma: nipulating rod for limiting the inward movement of said plunger.

8. In combination, a shaft, a head fixed on the end thereof, a spider inclusive of a bar arranged at either side of said head, a shaft extending transversely through said head, said bars being journaled for pivotal movement upon said shaft; a pair of spokes forming part of said spider and having their central portions secured to said bars, said head having a pair of bores therein; a plate secured to each of said bars, a housing secured to each plate, a latch plunger in each of said housings, manipulating means secured to each plunger and extending exteriorly of said housing,

and means in each of said housings for normally Elgllg said latch plungers in the bores in said 4. In combination a shaft, a head fixed on theend thereof, a spider inclusive of spaced parallel bars arranged at either side of said head, a shaft extending transversely through said head, said bars being journaled for pivotal movement upon said shaft, a pair of spoke rods forming part of said spider and having their central portions welded to said bars, said head having a pair of bores therein, plate secured to each of said bars, a housing welded to each plate, a plunger slidably mounted in each of said housings, a rod secured to each plunger and extending exteriorly of sa d housing, portions of the rods extending exteriorly of the housings being formed to annular configuration forming manipulating means, means in each of said housings for normally urging said plungers into the bores in said head, and means associated with said manipulating rods for limiting the position of said plungers in said bores.

5. In combination a shaft, a head fixed on the end thereof, a spider inclusive of spaced bars arranged at either side of said head, a shaft carried by said head, said bars being journaled for pivotal movement upon said shaft, a pair of spokes forming part of said spider and having their central portions secured to said bars, said head being formed with a pair of aligned bores, a plate secured to each of said bars, a housing secured to each plate, a plunger slidably mounted in each of said housings, a manipulating rod secured to each plunger and extending exterior- 1y of said housing, resilient means in each of said housings for normally urging said plungers into the bores in said head, and means associated with said manipulating rods for limiting the inward movement of said plungers; and stop means formed on said head and engageable with one of said spokes for determining the operative position of said spider with respect to said head.

6. In combination a shaft, a head fixed on the end thereof, a spider inclusive of spaced parallel bars arranged at either side of said head, a shaft extending transversely through said head, said bars being journaled for pivotal movement upon said shaft, a pair of spokes forming part of said spider and having their central portions welded to said bars, said head having a pair of aligned bores, a plate secured to each of said bars, a housing secured to each plate, a plunger in each of said housings, a rod secured to each plunger and extending exteriorly of said housing, the portions each of the rods extending exteriorly of the housings being formed to annular configuration forming manipulating means for the plungers, resilient means in each of said housings for normally urging said plungers into the bores in said head, and means including integrally struck up projections formed on said manipulating rods for limiting the inward movement of said plungers, and stop means formed on said head and engageable with one of said spokes for determining the operative position of said spider with respect to said head.

7. In combination a shaft, a head fixed on the end thereof, a spider inclusive of spaced parallel bars arranged at either side of said head, a shaft extending transversely through said head, means for securing said shaft in said head, said bars being journaled for pivotal movement upon said shaft, a pair of spokes forming part of said spider and having central parallel portions welded to said bars, said head having a pair of aligned bores, a plate secured to each of said bars, a housing welded to each plate, a latch member slidably mounted in each of said housings, a rod associated with each latch member and extending exteriorly of housing, the portion of each of the rods extending exteriorly of the housings being formed to annular configuration forming manipulating means for said latch members; resilient means in each of said housings for normally urging said latch members into the bores in said head, and means including integrally struck up projections formed on said rods for limiting the inward movement of said plungers, and stop means formed on said head and engageable with one of said spokes for determining the operative position of said spider with respect to said head.

DELMAR G. ROOS. 

